BROWN DETERMINED TO CLEAR HIS NAME

By Humphrey Carter THE Majorcan-based Scottish millionaire Michael Brown, who is facing extradition to Britain to face 53 charges including fraud and perjury, is determined to fight to clear his name. The Liberal Democrat's biggest donor, who was arrested at his Esporlas home on Wednesday, is involved in a dispute with one of the world's largest banks over a “missing” £26 million they lent him. In a bid to try and clear up the whereabouts of the money, it was the bank which managed to secure a European warrant for Brown's arrest from Bow Street magistrates court. The investigation into the apparently missing millions focuses on Brown's 5th Avenue Partners Ltd, through which Brown made his controversial £2.4 million donation to the Lib Dems at the last election. The party, then led by Charles Kennedy of whom Brown was a major admirer, was quick to distance itself from Brown's arrest on Friday. But, once the excitement of the Queen's birthday has died down and people have had the weekend to digest what has happened to Mr. Brown, this incident is going to cause the Lib Dems great embarrassment. Party sources have also been quick to highlight the fact that Brown made the donation when Kennedy was leader, a claim Brown will certainly not disagree with. He made it quite clear to the Bulletin in January when Kennedy was replaced as leader that he would not be giving the party “a penny more.” Brown was furious with the Liberal Democrats and said that the party should have stood by Kennedy and help “cure his illness” referring to the former leader's alcoholism. He explained to the Bulletin that he was more attracted to Kennedy and his ideals than the politics of the party. “I'm not a political person,” he said adding that Kennedy “still had a lot to learn” if he was ever to become prime minister. Brown also leant Kennedy his private jet which also caused controversy as Kennedy failed to register the flights and was later forced to apologise. In the meantime, Brown, who owns a villa in Esporlas and one in Andratx, will have to wait for his extradition process to run its course in the Valdemorra top security prison south of Madrid. He told a Spanish High Court judge on Friday that he will not fight extradition and is understood to be prepared to co-operate as he sets about clearing his name. He could be on his way back to Britain before the week is out.